Nuclear dynamics vector-potential theory

We now consider the connection between the preceding equations and the theory of Aharonov et al. [18] [see Eqs. (51)-(60)]. The tempting similarity between the structures of Eqs. (56) and (90), hides a fundamental difference in the roles of the vector operator A in Eq. (56) and the vector potential a in Eq. (90). The fomrer is defined, in the adiabatic partitioning scheme, as a stiictly off-diagonal operator, with elements (m A n) = (m P n), thereby ensuring that (P — A) is diagonal. By contiast, the Mead-Truhlar vector potential a arises from the influence of nonzero diagonal elements, (n P /i) on the nuclear equation for v), an aspect of the problem not addressed by Arahonov et al. [18]. Suppose, however, that Eq. (56) was contracted between (n and n) v) in order to handle the adiabatic nuclear dynamics within the Aharonov scheme. The result becomes... 

Efforts to use relativistic dynamics to describe nuclear phenomena began in the 1950s with application to infinite nuclear matter. Johnson and Teller [Jo 55] developed a nonrelativistic field theory for interacting nucleons and neutral, scalar mesons which served as a catalyst for Duerr, who, in a landmark paper [Du 56], developed a relativistic invariant version of the Johnson and Teller model which included both scalar and vector meson fields. He showed that nuclear saturation and the strong spin-orbit potential of the shell model could be readily understood. He also predicted a single particle potential which qualitatively reproduced the real part of the central optical potential well depth and its energy dependence for incident kinetic energies up to 200 MeV. 

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